SCOTTISH RITE AUDITORIUM : ARMENIAN STATE CHOIR IN U.S. DEBUT

Opening its first U.S. tour, the State Choir of Armenia sang a festive and generous program in Scottish Rite Auditorium Thursday night.

The 78-member choral organization, with added soloists and accompaniment-persons, produces a splendid noise and sometimes irresistible sounds, though the odd acoustical character of this hall does not flatter performers.

At this first stop in a five-city American itinerary, the Armenians offer different musical agendas at six concerts (ending Sept. 27). The first program, to be repeated Sept. 27, is evenly divided between Armenian and non-Armenian composers, and includes the world premiere performances of Ned Rorem’s “Armenian Love Songs.”

Rorem, writing on a commission by this choir specifically for this tour, has not let anyone down. His suite of five songs, using original 16th-Century texts by the Armenian poet Nahapet Kuchak, have a bittersweet poignancy and a communicative thrust that makes any additional written translation into English purely academic.

The 63-year-old American composer has applied the poet’s words to music of heartfelt but uncliched melodiousness. The choir, conducted authoritatively by Ohannes Tchekidjian, its leader of 26 years, sang the new seven-minute suite gorgeously.

Similarly touching was the performance of the pre-intermission pieces: selected music by Arno Babadjanian, Makar Yekmalian, Sogomon Komitas and Armen Tigranian. Ranging from folk-like pieces to operatic excerpts, this music emerged strongly performed and, of course, idiomatically treated. The soloists were soprano Hasmik Papian, tenor Gegham Grigorian and baritone Albert Khatchatrian.

In the second half, the choir gave spirited, if not always stylish, readings to excerpts from major works of Handel and Bach, and operatic snatches from “Cavalleria Rusticana,” “Porgy and Bess,” “I Lombardi,” “Nabucco” and “Faust.” Coming out of the choir for Charles Aznavour’s “Ave Maria” and “Summertime”--sung down an octave, and into a microphone, which none of the other soloists used--was Nina Hakobian.